Embedding sustainability in early childhood education and care (ECEC) is more than a trend, or something that's nice to do; it's a necessary shift towards nurturing future generations who are informed, empowered, and equipped to create a sustainable future - where they can thrive in uncertainty. In our new guide, Why Sustainability Matters in Early Childhood, we explore the vital role that early childhood education plays in developing lifelong sustainable habits and values.

The Importance of Early Years for Sustainability

The early years are crucial for setting the foundation of lifelong values and behaviours. Children are naturally curious and eager to explore the world and understand their place in it, making it the ideal time to introduce sustainability concepts. By fostering these values early, we reduce the need for behaviour changes later in life, which can be a challenging prospect - we all know behaviour change doesn’t come easy! Early childhood educators...

Opportunities to improve sustainability knock everyday, do you answer?

Embedding sustainability is a process of continuous improvement.  Incremental actions and ongoing progress.  You can’t do everything all at once.  

Embedding sustainability is about the small steps you take consistently, every day.  Improving and evolving your practice as your knowledge, understanding and confidence develop. Engaging others and expanding your circle of influence.

So, how do you identify opportunities to improve sustainability outcomes in your program and practice?

I like to think of embedding sustainability as an emergent curriculum.

Small steps are the key.  How can you take your current practice to the next level?

Over the next few days take some time and look around.  Look at what’s happening around you through a sustainability lens. 

Reflection: What do you see?  What do you hear? What is done consistently?  What is done with...

The journey towards sustainability is different for everyone. As sustainability champions and leaders we need to meet others where they are. Our team, and other stakeholders, may not understand sustainability the same way we do.  

There are lots of factors that can influence our understanding of sustainability - experience, knowledge, context and culture are some.  Getting everyone on the same page so that you can all move forward together is important.

But, how do you know where your people are at?  How do you know what sustainability means to them?  How do you know the best way to engage them?

Important questions to consider before jumping into your first or next sustainability initiative or project don’t you think...?

My advice - ask them.  Have a conversation, set up an “answer box” in the staff room so people can respond to the question “What does sustainability mean to you?”.  It’s good to get their...

What does sustainability mean to you? 

When I ask people that question they often describe the environmental aspects of sustainability - very important and foundational aspects - recycling, connection to nature, gardening, composting, waste minimisation, energy efficiency, saving water. BUT, sustainability is about much more than that.

The EYLF 2.0 has expanded the way it defines sustainability, BUT what does this mean and how can it help you embed sustainability in your setting?

Sustainability is a concept that can mean different things to everyone.  Mostly though, people think about sustainability from an environmental point of view.  When they think sustainability they think Reduce Reuse Recycle, veggie gardens, worm farms, compost bins, connecting with nature, water tanks and solar panels.

Did you notice that the way sustainability is defined in the revised EYLF 2.0 is a bit different?  The revised framework talks about sustainability in a much broader...

World Environment Day 2024 - Our Land. Our Future #GenerationRestoration

World Environment Day 2024 is bringing focus to the important role we need to play in terms of restoring ecosystems and protecting biodiversity the world over.  

Properly functioning ecosystems are what sustain life on Earth - people included.  Clean air and water, and healthy soil - the foundations of earth’s natural systems - support all life on earth.

What can you do to help protect the air, water and land?

Think Global.  Act Local.  

While problems such as climate change, habitat loss and pollution are happening on a global scale, there are many things you can do in your local community, or even within your service that will make a difference.

Acting locally provides the opportunity to explore big issues on a small scale and in a context that makes sense to both children and adults alike.

Here’s some things you can do that contribute to restoring ecosystems and...

It’s that time of year, it seems to roll around quicker each time…

I tend to spend a bit of time as the year comes to an end thinking about where I’ve come from and where I’m at.  What did I learn?  What would I do again or do differently next time?  What progress has been made?

In the business of sustainability, it’s easy to feel like you haven’t got very far - it’s such a big job…  

I encourage you to spend some time thinking about what you’ve achieved - all the little things - got a few catalyst projects happening; started some important conversations with your team, engaged the children learning more about a particular sustainability idea, theme or concept, used more sustainability language; saved some waste going to landfill, made a connection in your community; tweaked a procedure to make it more sustainable; included sustainability in your team meeting discussions - all the little things add up!

You’ve probably checked out the revised Early Years Learning Framework by now, even if this isn’t the Learning Framework you work under it appears to be driving change and setting the tone for the other Frameworks that are due for an update in the next little while.  So it’s good to have an understanding of the direction its heading and the changes being made.

From a sustainability perspective there’s lots to be excited about!

Sustainability has been identified as a new Principle which means it should underpin your program and practice.  That's a big shift.  An important shift.  And I’m all about it!

The thing that makes it easier is that they have also expanded the definition of sustainability.  Sustainability is now defined as:

Seeking to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations.  This definition is derived from the United Nations Bruntland Commission Report from...

Sustainability can be overwhelming.  It feels like such a big problem that there’s just no way anything we do could possibly make a difference…

It’s paralysing.  It's easy to feel hopeless...

When we feel like this we will often retreat and stick our head back under the doona, waiting for something to come and save us - some magic bullet. 

Many people think it’s only governments, or large businesses that can make a difference.  But, often what we see is these massive organisations being dragged along by the smaller, more agile forces in our global systems.

Changing government policy is like turning a giant ocean liner.  It’s not quick.  It’s not agile. Just ask Captain Edward Smith - captain of the Titanic.

It’s usually governments who are playing catch up…

If we want change, if we want to create a better future for current and future generations then it’s up to us…

In fact, it is the...

What does sustainability mean to you?

Do you think it means the same thing to the rest of your team, the children, families or others out in your community? 

You might be surprised…

What I know to be true, is that sustainability can mean something different to everyone…

I’ve asked hundreds of people that question, and I’ve had hundreds of different responses.

But why..? I hear your inner 4 year old ask…

Let’s think about that for a moment…

Sustainability is a concept.  It’s big and complicated (well, to most of us anyway).  It’s not clearly defined.  It’s more about “the vibe”...

It’s not a list of criteria or specific actions we can check off a list.

How we define and understand sustainability is influenced by things like our experiences (what we’ve done), education (what we’ve learnt), values (what is important to us), culture (how we see and value the world around us...

What’s the ONE THING that keeps sustainability leaders stuck more so than anything else?

Lack of ENGAGEMENT…

I always ask people what their biggest sustainability challenge is and more often than not their reply is the same - getting others on board… Getting others interested... Having to do it all on my own...

Many of us spend months or years spinning our wheels, getting nowhere fast… often just chipping away, barely scratching the surface on our own.

It can be hard to understand why… Surely everyone knows we should be doing more… Just watch the news once in a while…

Maybe that’s the problem…

Sustainability can feel overwhelming, heavy and depressing.  It has an image problem.

Many of us feel helpless and hopeless.  What I do surely won’t make any difference… 

Many of us feel like we don’t know enough about it, lacking confidence, worried we’ll look silly, either in front of our...